Control valve

ABSTRACT

An improved control valve interposed in a fuel system, generally between a fuel pump and an engine, to bufferingly pass fuel therethrough from the fuel pump to the engine, in an operating position thereof, and to bypass fuel from the fuel pump to a fuel reservoir at a predetermined fuel pressure, in a bypass position thereof, thereby governing the maximum pressure of fuel being supplied to the engine injectors. The control valve basically comprises a valve body having a valve member slidingly disposed in a valve chamber formed in a portion of the valve body. The valve member is biased to an operating position and constructed such that the fuel pressure biases the valve member to a bypass position at a predetermined fuel pressure.

United States Patent 1191 Wade et a].

[ CONTROL VALVE [75] Inventors: Kenneth C. Wade, Midwest City;

D. L. Adcock, Oklahoma City, both of Okla.

[73] Assignee: Said Kenneth C. Wade by said D. L.

Adcock [22] Filed: Feb. 8, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 113,490

[ June 26, 1973 3,512,554 5/1970 Childers 137/119 x FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS Primary Examiner-Martin P. Schwadron AssistantExaminer-David J. Zobkiw Attorney-Dunlap, Laney, Hessin & Dougherty [57]ABSTRACT An improved control valve interposed in a fuel system,

521 U.S. c1..... 123/140 FG, 123/139 AN, 137/115, generally between afuel p p and an engine. to u 137/119 eringly pass fuel therethrough fromthe fuel pump to [51] Int. Cl. F0211 1/04, Gd 11/00 the g in anOperating position thereof, and to y- [58] Field of Search 137/115, 117,118, p fuel m the l pu p to a fuel reservoir at a pre- 137/119, 116.3,116.5; 417/307, 308, 309, determined fuel pressure, in a bypass positionthereof, 31 1; 123/139 AN, 140 FG thereby governing the maximum pressureof fuel being supplied to the engine injectors. The control valve basi-[5 6] Referen e Cited cally comprises a valve body having a valve memberUNITED STATES PATENTS slidingly disposed in a valve chamber formed in apor- 2,781,775 2 1957 Merrill 137 540 x of valve The valve member blased3 583 431 6/1971 Die] 137,540 X an operating position and constructedsuch that the 3 100 497 8/1963 w00111 1 11i: 1.... 137/119 fuel Pressurebiases the Valve memberto bypass P 3,500,854 3/1970 Altmeppen et a].137/118 at a Pfedelermmed fuel Pressure 3,448,765 6/1969 McKinney137/543.l3 X

90,483 5/1869 Bartholomew 137 119 15 Clams 3 Draw 2,103,299 12/1937Ravnsbeck 137/115 3,056,257 10/1962 Brunkhardt 137/119 3a 1 /v 1 53 1it, m0 1 v 5 0 I f /0/, 1 Z0 T I Lz-QO l FUEL RESERVIOR FUEL PUMPPAIENIEoauuzs 1915 3,741.1 82 sum 1 0+ 2 F UEL RESERVIOR FUEL PUMPm/ya/raes.

KENNETH 0. 14/405 0. ADCOCK Arrewl rs 1 CONTROL VALVE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally toimprovements in control valves and, more particularly, but not by way oflimitation, to a control valve for utilization in a fuel supply system.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the past, there have been controlvalves designed for various general and various specific purposes. Moreparticularly, in a fuel system such as, for example, a diesel fuelsupply system, there have been proposed and designed valves forcontrolling the supply of fuel to an engine which provides the drivingimpetus for the vehicle. In this type of system, the fuel is generallypumped via a gear-driven pump, or the like, to an injector which thenforces a predetermined amount of fuel into the engine cylinder chambersat a predetermined pressure.

In a fuel system, as generally described above, a throttle shaftregulator valve has generally been interposed between the fuel pump andthe engine injector. The most common type of throttle shaft regulatorvalve is of the fly-weight". type, and is designed to regulate theamount of fuel being supplied to the engine injectors. In some systems,the throttle shaft governor valve also includes a bias spring whichcontrols the upper limit of the pressure of fuel being suppliedtherethrough.

With respect to large transport vehicles of the type generally referredto as semi-tractors and trailers, it has become common for the operatorsto foul the governing aspect of the throttle shaft regulator valve topermit the vehicle to be operated at a maximum RPM or speed. The foulingor tampering with the throttle shaft regulator valve has been not onlyaccomplished in a relatively easy manner, but can also in such a mannerthat the throttling effect of the regulator valve was not destroyed,thereby maintaining the operability of the vehicle. One method, forexample, of destroying the governing aspect of the throttle shaftregulator valve has been to stretch the governor spring, or to replacethe govemor spring with a spring having a different bias setting, eitherof which is virtually nondetectible via a visual inspection.

The result of such tampering generally has been that the engine of theparticular vehicle requires a major overhaul at reduced mileageintervals, increased wearing and replacement of various engine parts,and of course, repair or replacement of the throttle shaft regulatorvalve or, in some instances, replacement or major overhaul of the entirefuel pump system. One other result has also been that, in someinstances, the vehicle has broken down or become inoperable in transit,thereby requiring a wrecker crew or possibly a field repair crew torecover the vehicle. This problem, of course, becomes more acute withrespect to companies and owners of large fleets of such vehicles, therepair and replacement cost generally mentioned above being thusmultiplied in this instance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention. is to increase theefficiency of a fuel supply system.

- Another object of the invention is to provide a tamperproof controlvalve to limit the pressure of fuel being supplied to the engineinjectors.

' A further object of the invention is to provide a control valve whichbuffers the fuel supply being supplied via the fuel system to theengine, thereby increasing the efficiency of the engine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a control valvewhich can be readily installed in existing fuel systems withoutrequiring major modifications.

Another object of the invention is to increase the horsepower producedby an engine per unit of fuel supplied thereto.

One other object of the invention is to provide a control valve which iseconomical in construction and operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from thefollowing detailed description when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings which illustrate the various embodiments of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERREDEMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings in general, and to FIG. 1 inparticular, shown therein and designated by the general reference 10 isa control valve constructed in accordance with the present invention. Asshown in FIG. 1, the control valve 10 is supported and disposed in ahousing 12, only a portion of the housing 12 being shown in FIG. 1, forreasons which will be made apparent below.

The housing 12 includes a housing bore 14, which is formed therethrough,intersecting a portion of an upper surface 16 of the housing 12. A fuelpassageway 18 is formed in a portion of the housing 12, one end of thefuel passageway 18 intersecting a portion of the housing bore 14. Abypass fuel passageway 20 is formed in another portion of the housing12, one end of the bypass fuel passageway 20 intersecting a portion ofthe housing bore 14. The disposition of the housing bore 14, the fuelpassageway 18 and the bypass fuel passageway 20 relative to a fuelsystem, and the coop eration of each relative to the control valve 10will be made more apparent below.

In a typical fuel system, the fuel is pumped from a fuel reservoir via agear-driven pump, or the like, through a throttle shaft regulator valveto the engine injector. Th engine injector supplies fuel to each of thepiston chambers of the engine, thereby cooperating to provide the powerimpetus for the drive system. In a preferred form, the control valve 10,as shown in FIG. 1, is interposed in the fuel system generally betweenthe fuel pump and the engine and, more particularly, be-

tween the throttle shaft regulator valve and the engine injector, forreasons which will be made apparent below.

The housing 12, as shown in FIG. 1, may be a separate support structureinterposed, as generally described above, in the fuel system, or anexisting fuel pump housing may be utilized, in some instances, bymodifying the existing fuel pump housing by forming the housing bore 14,the fuel passageway 18 and the bypass fuel passageway 20 therein. Thehousing bore 14 is in fluidic communication with the fuel being pumpedfrom the fuel pump through the throttle shaft regulator valve, such thatthe fuel pumped therefrom enters the housing bore 14 in a generaldirection 22, as indicated in FIG. 1. The fuel passageway 18 is influidic communication with the engine or, more particularly, with theengine injector, such that in one position of the control valve 10, fuelis supplied through the housing bore 14 in the direction 22, through thecontrol valve and through the fuel passageway 18 in a general direction24 to the engine injector. The bypass fuel passageway 20 is in fluidiccommunication with the fuel reservoir such that, in one position of thecontrol valve 10, as will be described in greater detail below, the fuelenters the housing bore 14 in a general direction 22 and is directedthrough a portion of the control valve 10 through the bypass fuelpassageway 20 in a general direction 26, thereby bypassing the fuel backto the fuel reservoir.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatthe construction of the housing 12 generally along the fragmentary lineportions thereof, as indicated in the drawings, is not critical withrespect to the present invention. Rather, the precise construction ofthe housing 12 or the modifications to be made to an existing fuel pumphousing, for example, will be apparent to those skilled in the art fromthe foregoing, and further detailed descriptionof this portion of thehousing 12 is not deemed necessary herein.

The control valve 10 includes a valve body 28 having an outer periphery30, a lower end 32 and an upper end 34, as shown in'FIG. 1. The outerperiphery 30'of the valve body 28 is sized'to slidingly fit in thehousing bore 14 to an assembled position, as shown in FIG. 1, and aswill be described in greater detail below.

A pair of annular grooves 36 are formed in the outer periphery 30 of thevalve body 28, and an annular seal member 38 is disposed in each groove36. In one form, each seal member 38 may be bonded in the respectivegroove 36, so that each seal member 38 is maintained in an assembledposition, during the insertion of the valve body 28 in the housing bore14.

Each seal member 38 sealingly engages an adjacent portion of the valvebody 28 and an adjacent portion of the housing 12 formed by the housingbore 14 therein, to provide a fluid type seal therebetween. As shownmore clearly in FIG. 1, the seal members 38 are disposed on the valvebody 28 such that, in an assembled position, one of the seal members 38is disposed generally below the bypass fuel passageway 20 and one of theseal members 38 is disposed generally above the bypass fuel passageway20, for reasons which will be made more apparent below.

A valve chamber 40 is formed through a central por tion of the valvebody 28, intersecting the upper end 34 thereof. The valve chamber 40extends a distance through the valve body 28, terminating with a lowerend surface 42 formed in the valve body 28. An inlet opening 44 isformed through the lower end 32 of the valve body 28, intersecting thevalve chamber 40. The

inlet opening 44 thus provides fluidic communication between the housingbore 14 and the valve chamber 40, in an assembled position of thecontrol valve 10, as shown in FIG. 1.

An outlet opening 46 is formed through a portion of the valve body 28.One end of the outlet opening 46 intersects the outer periphery 30 ofthe valve body 28, and the opposite end of the outlet opening 46intersects the valve chamber 40 in the valve body 28. The outlet opening46 is disposed on the valve body 28 such that, in an assembled position,as shown in FIG. 1, the outlet opening 46 is generally aligned with thefuel passageway 18 in the housing 12. The outlet opening 46 thusprovides fluidic communication between the fuel passageway 18 and thevalve chamber 40, for reasons which will be made more apparent below.

As shown in FIG. 1, a portion 47 of the fuel passageway 18, generallyadjacent the intersection thereof with the housing bore 14, has a largerdiameter than either the remaining portion of the fuel passageway 18 orthe outlet opening'46 in the valve body 28. The larger diameter portion47 funnelingly directs the fuel passing from the outlet opening 46 intoand through the fuel passageway 18.

A bypass opening 48 is formed in another portion of the valve body 28.One end of the bypass opening 48 intersects the outer periphery 30 ofthe valve body 28, and the opposite end of the bypass opening 48intersects a portion of the valve chamber 40 in the valve body 28. Thebypass opening 48 is disposed and positioned in the valve body 28 suchthat, in an assembled position, as shown in FIG. 1, the bypass opening48 is generally aligned with the bypass fuel passageway 20 in thehousing 12. The bypass opening 48 thus provides the fluidiccommunication between the bypass fuel passageway 20 and the valvechamber 40, for reasons which will be made more apparent below.

As shown in FIG. 1, a portion 49 of the bypass fuel passageway 20,generally adjacent the intersection thereof with the housing bore 14,has a larger diameter than either the remaining portion of the bypassfuel passageway 20 or the bypass opening 48 in the valve body 28. Thelarger diameter portion 49 funnelingly directs the fuel passing from thebypass opening 48 into and through the bypass fuel passageway 20.

A flange 50 is formed on a portion of the outer periphery 30 of thevalve body 28, generally adjacent the upper end 34 thereof. The flange50 extends radially from the valve body 28, forming a downwardly facingsurface 52. In an assembled position, as shown in FIG. 1, the downwardlyfacing surface 52 engages a portion of the upper surface 16 of thehousing 12 to limit the downward movement of the valve body 28 in thehousing bore 14, and to position the valve body 28 in an assembledposition in the housing bore 14, that is a position wherein the outletopening 46 of the valve body 28 is generally aligned with the fuelpassageway 18 and the bypass opening 48 of the valve body 28 generallyaligned with the bypass fuel passageway 20. The flange 50 is positionedon the valve body 28 such that, in an assembled position of the controlvalve 10, the upper end of the valve body 28 is disposed in ahorizontal,

plane generally above the upper surface 16 of the housing 12.

A predetermined number of apertures 54 are formed through the flange 50(only two apertures 54 are shown in FIG. 1). Each aperture 54 is sizedto receive a bolt 56, each bolt 56 engages a portion of the flange 50and threadingly engages a portion of the housing 12 to secure thecontrol valve in an assembled position with respect to the housing 12.

A cylindrical-shaped spring housing 58 is formed on the upper end 34 ofthe valve body 28, extending a distance generally axially therefrom,terminating with an upper end 60. A spring chamber 62 is formed in thespring housing 58. As shown in FIG. 1, the diameter of the springchamber 62 is larger than the diameter of the valve chamber 40 in thevalve body 28 and, therefore, the upper end 34' of the valve body 28forms an upwardly facing surface extending about the spring chamber 62,generally adjacent the intersection of the housing bore 40 and thespring chamber 62, for reasons which will be made more apparent below.

In one form, and as shown in FIG. 1, the spring chamber 62 intersectsthe upper end 60 of the spring housing 58 and a cap 64 is threadinglysecured in the spring chamber 62, generally adjacent the upper end 60 ofthe tubular member 58. In a preferred form, the cap 64 is treated withan epoxy or sealant, subsequent to threading the cap 64 in the springchamber 62 so that, in an assembled position of the cap 64, the cap 64is bonded and becomes an integral part of the spring housing 58. Athreaded aperture 66 is formed through a central portion of the cap 64,and an adjusting screw 68 is threadingly disposed through the aperture66, for reasons which will be made more apparent below.

A bias spring 70 is disposed in the spring chamber 62, one end of thebias spring 70 being securedly disposed on a downwardly facing surface72 of a retainer 74. As shown in FIG. 1, a portion of an upwardly facingsurface 76 of the retainer 74 engages a lower end portion of theadjusting screw 68, the adjusting screw 68 thereby adjustingly engaginga portion of the upper end 76 of the retainer 74 to position theretainer 74 in a predetermined horizontal plane in the spring chamber62, for reasons which will be made more apparent below.

The end of the bias spring 70, opposite the end thereof in engagementwith the retainer 74, securedly engages an upwardly facing surface 78 ofa retainer 80. In one position, as shown in FIG. 1, a downwardly facingsurface 82 of the reatiner 80 engages a portion of the upper end 34 ofthe valve body 28, thereby limiting the downward movement of theretainer 80 in the spring chamber 62, for reasons which will be mademore apparent below.

The retainer 80 is securedly connected to an upper end 84 of anelongated valve member 86. The valve member 86 has an outer periphery 88and a lower end 90, and is slidingly disposed in the valve chamber 40 ofthe valve body 28, as shown in FIG. 1. The valve member 86 is slidablein the valve chamber 40 to an operating position, as shown in FIG. '1,and to a bypass position, as will be described in greater detail below.In the operating position of the valve member86, the lower end 90thereof engages the upwardly facing lower end 42 in the chamber 40.

A valve passageway 92 is formed through a central portion of the valvemember 86, one end of the valve passageway 92 intersecting the lower end90 of the valve member 86. An upper portion 94 of the valve passageway92 extends radially through a portion of the valve body 86 intersectinga portion of the outer periphery 88 thereof. In an operating position,as shown in FIG. 1, one end of the valve passageway 92 and, moreparticularly, the radially extending portion 94 thereof is aligned withthe outlet opening 46 in the valve body 28, Thus, in the operatingposition of the valve member 86, the valve passageway 92 is in fluidiccommunication with the fuel passageway 18 through the housing 12, forreasons which will be made more apparent below.

As-mentioned before, the valve passageway 92 intersects a centralportion of the lower end 90 of the valve member 86. In an operatingposition of the valve member 86, the valve passageway 92 is aligned withthe inlet opening 44 through the valve body 28, the housing bore 14thereby fluidically communicating with the valve passageway 92 via theinlet opening 44 through the valve body 28. In this position, a portionof the valve member 86 is interposed between the bypass opening 48 andthe inlet opening 44 of the valve body 28, and thus the housing bore 14does not fluidically communicate with the bypass opening 18 in thisposition, for reasons which will be made more apparent below.

An annular groove 96 is formed in a portion of the outer periphery 88 ofthe valve body 86, a portion of the groove 96 intersecting a portion ofthe radially extending portion 94 of the valve passageway 92, forreasons which will be made more apparent below.

A pair of annular grooves 100 are formed in the outer periphery 88 ofthe valve member 86, and an elastomeric seal member 102 is disposed ineach groove 100. In one form, each seal member 102 may be bonded in therespective groove 100, in a manner similar to that described before withrespect to the seal members 38 disposed in the valve body 28. Each sealmember 102 sealingly engages an adjacent portion of the valve member 86and an adjacent portion of the valve body 28, thereby forming a fluidtype seal therebetween. As shown in FIG. 1, one of the seal members 102is disposed generally above the bypass opening 48 in the valve body 12and the other seal member 102 is disposed generally above the radiallyextending portion 94 of the valve passageway 92.

The valve passageway 92 in the valve member 86 is shaped and disposedtherein such that fuel passing therethrough acts on the upper portion ofthe valve member 86 formed by the radially extending portion 94 and theadjacent terminating portion of the valve passageway 92 .to bias thevalve member 86 in a generally upwardly direction 104. The bias springis sized to bias the valve member 86 in a generally downwardly direction106, to maintain the valve member 86 in an operating position,'as shownin FIG. 1.

The bias spring 70 is also sized such that, when the pressure of thefuel passing through the valve passageway 92 reaches a predeterminedactuating pressure, the valve member 86 is biased by the fuel pressurein an upwardly direction 104 against the biasing force of the biasspring 86 to a bypass position in the valve chamber 40. In the bypassposition of the control valve 10, the valve member 86 has been moved orslid in an upwardly direction 104 to a position wherein the lower endthereof is disposed in a horizontal plane generally above the bypassopening 48 in the valve body 28 and the radially extending portion 94 ofthe valve passageway 92 is disposed generally in a horizontal planeabove the outlet opening 46 in the valve body 86. In this position, aportion of the valve member 86 is interposed generally between theoutlet opening 46 and the valve passageway 92. It will be apparent tothose skilled in the art from the foregoing that, in the bypass positionof the control valve 10, the housing bore 14 is in fluidic communicationwith the bypass fuel passageway 20 via the inlet opening 44 and thebypass opening 48 of the valve body 28, and fuel cannot pass through thevalve passageway 92 into the fuel passageway 18, for reasons which willbe made more apparent below.

it should also be noted that the valve member 86 is sized, in apreferred form, such that as the valve member 86 is slid in an upwardlydirection 104 by the pressure of of fuel passing through the valvepassageway 92, that the groove 96 in the outer periphery 88 of the valvebody 86 will be completely displaced with respect to the outlet opening'46 of the valve body 28 subsequent to the lower end 90 of the valvemember 86 being disposed in a horizontal plane generally coplanar withthe lower end portion of the bypass opening 48 in the valve body 28. Inother words, in a preferred form, the portion of the valve member 86generally below the bypass opening 48, in an operating position of thecontrol valve 10, is of a sufficient length that a portion of the valvemember 86 remains interposed be tween the bypass fuel passageway 20 andinlet opening 44 of the housing bore 14 until the portion of the valvemember 86 is completely interposed between the outlet opening 46 in thevalve body 28 and the valve passageway 92 or the housing bore 14. Inthis manner, during the operation of the control valve 10, the valvemember 86 is never positioned in the valve chamber 40 such that thehousing bore 14 is in fluidic communication with both fuel passageway 18and the bypass fuel passageway 20 simultaneously.

A vent opening 108 is formed through a portion of the spring housing58'intersecting the spring chamber 62. The vent opening 108 is providedto releasingly vent any fuel which might leak past the seal members 102,thereby preventing fuel from accumulating in the spring chamber 62 andcausing hydraulic lock with respect to the valve member 86.

in a preferred form, the valve body 28, the flange 50 and the springhousing 58 are formed integrally, and constructed of 4130 steel, or thelike, which has been heat treated to 46 on a Rockwell-C scale (6 pointsabove drilling or cutting with hack-saw). In view of this, and furthersince the cap 64 is lockingly secured in position with an appropriateepoxy, or the like, it is virtually impossible to gain access to thevalve member 86 or the spring 70 without substantially destroying thecontrol valve 10.

It should also be noted that if the control valve were removed from thehousing bore 14, and the housing bore 14 plugged, the fuel system wouldbe rendered non-effective since the fuel from the fuel pump would besimply bypassed back to the fuel reservoir via the bypass fuelpassageway 20. From the foregoing, it will be apparent to those skilledin the art, that the construction of the control valve 10 and thedisposition of the control valve 10 in the fuel system renders thecontrol valve 10 virtually tamper-proof" in a nondetectible manner.

OPERATION OF FIG. 1

As mentioned before and in a preferred form, the control valve 10 isinterposed in the fuel system generally between the fuel pump and theengine or, more particularly, the engine injector such that fuel beingsupplied to the engine injector from the fuel pump generally passesthrough the control valve 10. The control valve 10 is constructed toprovide a buffer to substantially reduce the pulsations present in thefuel being supplied from the fuel pump and to control the maximum fuelpressure passing through the control valve 10 to the engine injector, ina manner as will be described in greater detail below.

The bias spring biases the valve member 86 in a general bias direction106 to an operating position, as shown in FIG. 1. In this position, fuelfrom the fuel pump or, more particularly, from the throttle valveregulators, enters the housing bore 14 in a general direction 22 andthrough the inlet opening 44 of the valve body 28.

I Since the inlet opening 44 is generally aligned with the valvepassageway 92 and further since the radially extending portion 94 of thevalve passageway 92 is aligned with the outlet opening 46 in the valvebody 28, the fuel will pass through the valve passageway 92 and outthrough the radially extending portion 94 thereof. The fuel passingthrough the valve passageway 92 will thus be discharged through theoutlet opening 46 and through the fuel passageway 18, in a generaldirection 24 toward the engine injector.

In the operating position of the control valve 10, a portion of theouter periphery 88 of the valve member 86 encompasses the bypass opening48 of the valve body 28, thereby preventing fuel entering the controlvalve 10 via the inlet opening 44 from being discharged or bypassed tothe fuel reservoir via the bypass opening 48 in the valve body 28 andthe bypass fuel passageway 20 in the housing 12. Thus, in the operatingposition, the control valve 10 provides a'fuel passageway therethroughsuch that the fuel being pumped by the fuel pump is directed to theengine injectors.

The fluid traveling through the valve passageway 92, in the operatingposition of the control valve 10, as generally described above, is of apulsating nature in most fuel systems, since the fuel is being suppliedvia a geardriven fuel pump. The pressure peaks caused by the pulsatingfuel supply traveling through the valve passageway 92 act on the upperportion of the valve passageway 92 to periodically and cyclically biasthe valve member 86 a relatively short distance in an upwardly direction104 against the force of the bias spring 70. Since the direction of thefuel flow through the valve passageway 92 is turned degrees in theradially extending portion of the valve passageway 92, and further sincea small volumetric capacity increase exists in the upper portion of thevalve passageway 92, it has been found that the bias spring 70cooperates with the valve member 86 to dampen the pulsations present inthe fuel traveling through the valve member 86.

If the fuel being supplied to the engine injector is of a pulsatingnature, it has been found that the engine cylinder chambers receivedisproportionate amounts of fuel from the engine injector, the enginecylinder chambers near the fuel outlet from the injector receiv ing thegreatest proportional amount of fuel. The effect of the foregoing hasbeen found to generally decrease thereby requiring more dampening effectof the In one test, a particular vehicle carrying 32,000

pounds of freight, traveled a distance of approximately 13,505 miles. Inthis particular test, the vehicle was equipped with a control valveconstructed in accordance with the present invention, and as describedbefore with respect to the control valve 10. In this instance, a specialborehole and the various fuel passageways were formed in an existingfuel pump housing to provide the housing bore 14, the fuel passageway 18and the bypass fuel passageway 20, all being disposed and positioned inthe fuel system in a manner as described before. The control valve wasthus interposed in the fuel system generally between the throttle valveregulator and the engine injectors, and the fuel pump, in this system,was also equipped with a standard fly-weight type of governor. Thecontrol valve 10, in this test, was set to bypass fuel back to thereservoir at a fuel pressure of approximately 8 pounds above thefly-weight governor setting. In this test, the vehicle averaged 5.84miles per gallon. From various previous tests which had been conductedwith respect to this particular vehicle, it was determined that theaverage miles per gallon of fuel for this vehicle was generally between4.0 and 4.5 miles per gallon. It will be apparent to those skilled inthe art from the foregoing, that the increase in efficiency per seresulting by the utilization of the control valve 10, that is theincrease in the number of miles per gallon of fuel required, wassubstantial and per se represented sufficient cause to incorporate thecontrol valve 10 in the fuel systems.

When the fuel traveling through the control valve 10 reaches apredetermined or a preset pressure level, the fuel will act against theupper portion of the valve passageway 92 to bias the valve member 86 inan upwardly direction 104 against the bias force of the spring 70 asufficient distance to close the fluidic communication between thehousing bore 14 and the fuel passageway 18 provided through the controlvalve 10, and move the valve member 86 to a bypass position, asdescribed before. In the bypass position of the control valve 10, thatis the bypass position of the valve member 86 of the control valve 10,the fuel will flow in a general direction 22 through the housing bore 14and through the bypass fuel passageway in a general direction 26 via theinlet opening 44, a portion of the valve chamber 40 and the outletopening 48 of the valve body 28. Thus, at a predetermined actuating fuelpressure, the valve member 86 is biased by the fuel pressure to aposition wherein the fuel being pumped through the housing bore 14 fromthe fuel pump is bypassed and dumped back to the fuel reservoir. In thisposition, the fuel is merely recirculated in the fuel system, and nofuel is being provided to the engine injector via the fuel passageway18. The control valve 10 thus governs the upper limit of the fuelpressure being supplied to the engine injector 18, thereby controllingthe maximum engine RPM.

The actuating fuel pressure, that is the fuel pressure at which thevalve member 86 will be biased to a bypass position, is primarilycontrolled by the bias spring 70.

However, the adjusting screw 68 is provided to vary the set tension ofthe bias spring 70 a small incremental amount, so that the control valve10 may be utilized in different fuel systems, wherein the fuel pressureto be supplied to the engine injector may vary by a small incrementalamount. It should be emphasized, however, that the actuating pressure isdetermined by the bias spring 70 and the adjusting screw 68 does notvary substantially the primary setting of the control valve 10.

Various tests have been conducted to determine the effectiveness of thecontrol valve 10 in a fuel system. One such test was conducted withrespect to a fuel pump installed in a vehicle having a present mileageof 205,768 miles. The test results, shown in Table I below, relate tothis particular vehicle and a fuel pump, subsequent to the installationof the control valve 10 in the fuel system.

TABLE I Tachometer Dynamometer Fuel Pressure Developed RPM MPH P.S.I.Horsepower I700 41 l88 I800 43 166 190 I900 45 170 195 2000 48 200 210051 186 200 The control valve 10 was then installed in the existing fuelpump generally between the throttle valve regulator and the fuelpassageway discharging the fuel to the injectors, as generally describedbefore and as shown in FIG. 1. The test results of this same fuel systemor, more particularly, this same fuel pump utilizing the control valve10, are shown below in Table II.

TABLE II Tachometer Dynamometer Fuel Pressure Developed RPM MPH P.S.I.Horsepower 1700 41 150 190 I800 43 l56 194 1900 45 162 198 2000 48 170200 2 I00 51 172 205 The fuel pressure recorded in Tables I and IIindicates, more particularly, the pressure of the fuel generally betweenthe control valve 10 and the engine or, in other words, generally in thefuel passageway 18.

It should be particularly noted that there were no other changes in thefuel systems between the two tests, illustrated in Tables I and IIabove, other than the installation of the control valve 10 in the fuelsystem. From Tables I and II above, it may be seen that the addition ofthe control valve 10 in the fuel system, increased the efficiency of thesystem, in that the horsepower developed per pound of fuel pressureutilized was increased substantially utilizing the control valve 10.This particular efficiency increase becomes even more apparent in thehigher RPM ranges of the test.

Other tests, similar to the test illustrated in Tables I and II above,have also been conducted. In each instance, the efficiency of the fuelsystem was increased. The control valve 10 thus, not only provides asubstantially tamper-proof governor valve limiting the maximum fuelpressure pass therethrough, but also substantially increases theefficiency of the system yielding an increase in the mileage per gallonof fuel and an increase in the developed horsepower per pound of fuelpressure.

EMBODIMENT OF FIG. 2

Shown in FIG. 2 is a modified control valve a disposed in a modifiedhousing 12a, similar to the con-,

shown in FIG. 2, is constructed substantially the same as the housing12, shown in FIG. 1, one of the differences being that the housing 12aincludes a vent passageway 130 formed through a portion thereof, one endof the vent passageway 130 intersecting a portion of the housing bore140. The end of the vent passageway 130, opposite the end thereofintersecting the housing bore 14a, is in fluidie communication with thefuel supply reservoir, for reasons which will be made more apparentbelow.

As shown in FIG. 2, the housing bore 14a also includes a threadedportion 132 formed therein generally adjacent the upper surface 16 ofthe housing 12a. The threaded portion 132 is shaped to threadinglyreceive a threaded portion of the control valve 10a and, moreparticularly, a threaded portion formed on the outer periphery a of thevalve body 28a.

As shown in FIG. 2, the valve chamber 40a of the valve body 28a extendsthrough the valve body 28a intersecting the lower end 32a thereof. Athreaded plug 134 is disposed in the valve chamber 40a, generallyadjacent the lower end 32a thereof. The upper end of the threaded plug34a forms the lower end or upwardly facing surface 420 in the valvechamber 40a, which cooperates in the valve assembly 10:: in a mannersubstantially the same as the lower end 42 of the valve chamber 40, asshown in FIG. 1 and described above.

The valve body 28a has a hexagon-shaped head 136 formed on the upper endthereof, generally adjacent the threaded portion 132 thereof. Thehexagon-shaped head 136 is formed or secured on an upper portion of thevalve body 28a so that the valve body 28a may be threaded into anassembled position in the housing bore 14a, as shown in FIG. 2.

A recess 138 is formed in the housing 12a generally about andintersecting a portion of the housing bore 140, generally adjacent theupper surface 16 of the housing 12a. An elastomeric seal member 140 isdisposed in the recess 138 and, in an assembled position, as shown inFIG. 2, the elastomeric seal member 138 provides the sealing integritygenerally between the housing 12a and the control valve 10a or, moreparticularly, the valve body 28a.

The valve body 28a also includes a vent opening 142 formed through anupper portion thereof. In an assembled position, shown in FIG. 2, thevent opening 142 in the valve body 28a is aligned with the ventpassageway 130 formed through the housing 12a, for reasons which will bemade more apparent below. 1

The valve member 86a, shown in FIG. 2, is constructed similar to thevalve member 86, shown in FIG. 1 and described in detail before, thesalient difference being that the valve member 86a is sized such that,in an assembled position and in an operating position of the valvemember 86a, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper end 840 of the valve member86a lies in a horizontal plane generally below the upper surface 16 ofthe housing 12a and generally below the hexagon-shaped head 136 on thevalve body 28a. Thus, a gap exists generally between the upper end 84aof the valve member 86a and the lower end of the hexagon-shaped head136, in

an assembled position of the valve member 86a, as shown in FIG. 2, forreasons to be made more apparent below.

A bias spring a is disposed generally in the gap between the upper end84a of the valve member 86a and the lower end surface of thehexagon-shaped head 136. One end of the bias spring engages a lower endsurface of the hexagon-shaped head 136 and the opposite end of the biasspring 70a biasingly engages the upper end surface 84a of the valvemember 86a. The bias spring 70a biases the valve member 86a in a generaldirection 106 toward the lower end 42a of the chamber 40a, similar tothe bias spring 70, described before and as shown in FIG. 1.

OPERATION OF FIG. 2

The control valve 10a, shown in FIG. 2, will operate substantially thesame as the control valve 10, shown in FIG. 1 and described before. Thecontrol valve 10a thus has an operating position, as shown in FIG. 1,and a bypass position, and is constructed to provide a passageway forfuel to pass from the fuel pump to an engine injector via'the controlvalve 10a in an operating position thereof, and to bypass fuel suppliedfrom the fuel pump at a predetermined actuating pressure to the fuelreservoir via the bypass passageway 20 formed in the housing 12a.

One of the salient differences in construction and in operation of thefuel control valve is that fluid which may leak past the seal members102 and become disposed in the area of the valve chamber 40a generallybetween the upper end 84a of the valve member 86a and the lower endportion of the hexagon-shaped head 136 is bled or vented therefrom viathe vent opening 142 in the valve body 28a and the vent passageway inthe housing 12a to the fuel reservoir, rather than being vented toatmosphere, as described before, with respect to the control valve 10.

It will be apparent from the foregoing, that the control valve 10aretains all of the advantages of the control valve 10, described before,and yet has a construction which may be more economical in someinstallations and, in addition, provides a vent passageway which ventsfuel to the fuel reservoir rather than to atmosphere, which may be moredesirable in some installations.

EMBODIMENT OF FIG. 3

The control valvelOc, shown in FIG. 3, is constructed similar to thecontrol valve 10, shown in FIG. 1 and as described in detail before. Thesalient difference between the control valve 100 and the control valve10 is that the valve member 86c has a modified valve passageway 92cformed therethrough.

More particularly, the upper portion of the fuel passageway 92c ismodified to include four radially extending portions or passageways 94c,rather than the one radially extending portion 94, shown in FIG. 1. Itshould also be noted that in lieu of the larger diameter portion 47, asshown in FIG. 1, the housing 12c, shown in FIG. 3, has an annular groove150 formed about and intersecting the housing bore and the fuelpassageway 18.

In this embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 3, the fueltraveling through the valve passageway 92c will thus be directed intothe area formed by the groove 96 via the four radially extendingpassageways 940. The

fluid will then, of course, be directed to the engine injector via thefuel passageway 18, in the operating position of the valve member,similar to that described before with respect to the control valve 10,shown in FIG. 1.

OPERATION OF FIG. 3

The control valve 100, shown in FIG. 3, will operate substantially thesame as the control valve 10, shown in FIG. 1, to provide a fuelpassageway for the fuel being pumped from the fuel pump to the engineinjector, in an operating position of the valve member 86c, shown inFIG. 3. The control valve 100 will also, of course, bypass the fuel backto the fuel reservoir when the pressure of the fuel being suppliedthereto from the fuel pump reaches a predeterminedactuating pressure,similar to that described before with respect to the control valve 10.

The salient difference in the operation between the control valve 100,shown in FIG. 3, and the control valve 10, shown in FIG. 1, is that thefuel entering the space formed bythe groove 96 in the valve member 860,enters therein via the four passageways 940. It has been found, that insome installations, since the fuel traveling through the passageway 920is directed at a 90 degree turn into the fuel passageway 18 formed inthe housing 12, there may be a resulting force exerted by the fuelpressure causing the valve member 86c to be moved in a directiongenerally toward the valve body 28. The utilization of the four ports orpassageways 940 to discharge the fuel in the space formed by the groove96 thus tends to equalize the resulting pressure forces, therebymaintaining the central disposition of the valve member 86c in the valvechamber 40.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing, thatthe control valves, described before, not

only limit the fuel pressure being supplied to the engine injectors,thereby providing the governing function, but also the control valvesare constructed of such a nature and disposed in the fuel system suchthat the control valves are virtually tamper-proof in a nondetectiblemanner. In other words, the operator of the vehicle cannot modify thecontrol valve so that the vehicle can be operated at a higher speedwithout major modifications or without destroying the valve completely,in which event the fuel system is rendered totally ineffective. Inaddition to the foregoing, the control valves described before alsoincrease the efficiency of the fuel system or, more particularly, thedriving efficiency of the engine, thereby resulting in a fuel savingsand in an increase in the amount of horsepower producible by the engineat a given fuel pressure. Changes may be made in the construction andthe arrangement of the parts or the elements of the various embodimentsas disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A control valve interposed in a fuel systemcomprising:

engine means; fuel pump means fluidically communicating with the enginemeans and supplying fuel thereto; fuel reservoir means fluidicallycommunicating with the fuel pump means, the fuel pump means pumping fuelfrom the fuel reservoir means to the engine means; and

control valve means interposed between the fuel pump means and theengine means, the control valve means comprising:

housing means, having a housing bore formed therein, the housing bore influidic communication with the fuel pump means to receive fuel from thefuel pump means, a fuel passageway formed in a portion of the housingmeans intersecting the housing bore and fluidically communicating withthe engine means, a bypass fuel passageway formed in a portion of thehousing means intersecting the housing bore and fluidicallycommunicating with the fuel reservoir means, a vent passageway formed ina portion of the housing means intersecting the housing bore andfluidically communicating with the fuel reservoir means;

a valve body disposed in a portion of the housing bore, having a valvechamber formed therein, an inlet opening formed through a portionthereof providing communication between the housing bore and the valvechamber, an outlet opening formed through a portion thereof providingcom munication between the fuel passageway in the housing means and thevalve chamber, a bypass opening formed through a portion of the valvebody providing communication between the bypass fuel passageway in thehousing means and the valve chamber, a vent opening formed through aportion of the valve body providing communication between a portion ofthe valve chamber and the vent passageway to vent fuel therethrough;

a valve member slidingly disposed in the valve body having a valvepassageway formed through a portion thereof providing fluidiccommunication between the inlet opening and the outlet opening of thevalve body and a portion of the valve member interposed generallybetween the inlet opening and the bypass opening in one position of thevalve member, the valve member slidable to one other portion interposinga portion of the valve member generally between the inlet opening andthe outlet opening of the valve body and providing fluidic communicationbetween the inlet opening and the bypass opening via the valve chamber,the fuel vented via the vent opening in communication with a portion ofthe valve chamber and the vent passageway preventing the valve memberfrom becoming hydraulically locked; and

bias means engaging a portion of the valve member and biasing the valvemember to the one position in the valve body providing fluidiccommunication between the inlet opening and the outlet opening of thevalve body, the fuel at a predetermined pressure level biasing the valvemember against the biasing force of the bias means to the one otherposition in the valve body providing fluidic communication between theinlet opening and the bypass opening of the valve body.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the valve body is defined further toinclude, a portion engaging a portion of the housing means to positionthe valve body in an assembled position in a portion of the housingbore.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 defined further to include:

seal means disposed between the housing means and the valve body toprovide a fluid tight seal therebetween.

4. A control valve interposed in a fuel system comprising:

engine means;

fuel pump means fluidically communicating with the engine means andsupplying fuel thereto;

fuel reservoir means fluidically communicating with the fuel pump means,the fuel pump means pumping fuel from the fuel reservoir means to theengine means; and

control valve means interposed between the fuel pump means and theengine means, the control valve means comprising: a valve body, having avalve chamber formed therein, an inlet opening formed through a portionthereof intersecting a portion of the valve chamber, an outlet openingformed through a portion thereof intersecting a portion of the valvechamber, a bypass opening formed through a portion thereof intersectinga portion of the valve chamber, and the inlet opening fluidicallycommunicating with the fuel pump means, the outlet opening fluidicallycommunicating with the engine means and the bypass opening fluidicallycommunicating with the fuel reservoir means; valve member slidinglydisposed in the valve chamber, a valve passageway formed through aportion of the valve member providing fluidic communication between theinlet opening and the outlet opening of the valve body and a portion ofthe valve member interposed generally between the inlet opening and thebypass opening of the valve body in one position of the valve member,the valve member slidable to one other position interposing a portion ofthe valve member generally between the inlet opening and the outletopening of the valve body and providing fluidic communication betweenthe inlet opening and the bypass opening via the valve chamber, thevalve member providing fluidic communication between not more than anytwo of the inlet opening, the outlet opening and the bypass opening viathe valve chamber in any one position of the valve member during theoperation thereof; and bias means engaging a portion of the valve memberand biasing the valve member to the one position in the valve bodyproviding fluidic communication between the inlet opening and the outletopening of the valve body, the fuel at a predetermined pressure levelbiasing the valve member against the biasing force of the bias means tothe one other position in the valve body providing fluidic communicationbetween the bypass opening and the inlet opening of the valve body.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the valve member is further definedas being elongated and having an upper and a lower end, the lower endengaging a portion of the valve body to position the valve member in theone position in the valve body providing fluidic communication betweenthe inlet opening and the outletopening of the valve body.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the valve body includes, an upperend and a lower end, a spring chamber formed on the upper end of thevalve body, the bias means being disposed in the spring chamber; andwherein the bias means has a portion thereof engaging the upper end ofthe valve member, the bias means cooperating with the valve member tobuffer the fuel passing through the control valve to increase theefficiency of the fuel system.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the bias means is further defined asbeing disposed in a portion of the valve chamber, one portion of thebias means engaging a portion of the valve body and another portion ofthe bias means engaging the upper end of the valve member, the biasmeans cooperating with the valve member to buffer the fuel passingthrough the control valve to increase the efficiency of the fuel system.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein one end of the valve passageway isaligned with the outlet opening of the valve body and the other end ofthe valve passageway is aligned with the inlet opening in the valve bodyin the one position of the valve member in the valve body providingfluidic communication between the inlet opening and the outlet openingof the valve body.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the bypass opening in the valve bodyis disposed in a horizontal plane generally above the lower end of thevalve member in the one position of the valve member in the valve bodyproviding fluidic communication between the inlet opening and the outletopening of the valve body, the inlet opening being formed through aportion of the lower'end of the valve body; and wherein the valve memberis further defined as having a portion thereof interposed generallybetween the outlet opening and the valve chamber subsequent to the valvemember being slidingly biased to the one other position in the valvebody providing fluidic communication between the bypass opening and theinlet opening of the valve body.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the lower end of the valve memberis disposed in a horizontal plane generally above the bypass openingthrough the valve body in the one other position of the valve member inthe valve body providing fluidic communication between the bypassopening and the inlet opening of the valve body.

11. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the valve passageway includes, aradially extending portion intersecting a portion of the outer peripheryof the valve member, the radially extending portion being aligned withthe outlet opening of the valve body in the one position of the valvemember in the valve body providing fluidic communication between theoutlet opening and the inlet opening of the valve body.

12. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the valve passageway includes, aplurality of radially extending portions, each intersecting a portion ofthe outer periphery of the valve member, and each radially extendingportion communicating with the outlet opening of the valve body in theone position of the valve member in the valve body providing fluidiccommunication between the outlet opening and the inlet opening of thevalve body.

13. The apparatus of claim 4 defined further to include:

seal means interposed between the valve member and the valve body toprovide a fluid tight seal therebetween.

14. The apparatus of claim 4 defined further to-inelude:

means engaging the bias means to limitingly adjust the bias means,thereby adjusting the actuating fuel pressure of the control valvewithin a narrow range.

15. A control valve interposed in a fuel system comprising:

engine means;

fuel pump means fluidically communicating with the engine means andsupplying fuel thereto;

fuel reservoir means fluidically communicating with the fuel pump means,the fuel pump means pumping fuel from the fuel reservoir means to theengine means; and

control valve means interposed between the fuel pump means and theengine means, the control valve means comprising:

housing means, having a housing bore formed therein, the housing bore influidic communication with the fuel pump means to receive fuel from thefuel pump means, a fuel passageway formed in a portion of the housingmeans intersecting the housing bore and fluidically communicating withthe engine means, a bypass fuel passageway formed in a portion of thehousing means intersecting the housing bore and fluidicallycommunicating with the fuel reservoir means;

a valve body disposed in a portion of the housing bore, having a valvechamber formed therein, an inlet opening formed through a portionthereof providing communication between the housing bore and the valvechamber, an outlet opening formed through a portion thereof providingcommunication between the fuel passageway in the housing means and thevalve chamber, a bypass opening formed through a portion of the valvebody providing communication between the bypass fuel passageway in thehousing means and the valve chamber;

a valve member slidingly disposed in the valve body having a valvepassageway formed through a portion thereof providing fluidiccommunication between the inlet opening and the outlet opening of thevalve body and a portion of the valve member interposed generallybetween the inlet opening and the bypass opening in one position of thevalve member, the valve member slidable to one other positioninterposing a portion of the valve member generally between the inletopening and the outlet opening of the valve body and providing fluidiccommunication between the inlet opening and the bypass opening via thevalve chamber, the valve member providing fluidic communication betweennot more than any two of the inlet opening, the outlet opening and thebypass opening via the valve chamber in any one position of the valvemember during the operation thereof; and

bias means engaging a portion of the valve member and biasing the valvemember to the one position. in the valve body providing fluidiccommunication between the inlet opening and the outlet opening of thevalve body, the fuel at a predetermined pressure level biasing the valvemember against the biasing force of the bias means to the one otherposition in the valve body providing fluidic communication between theinlet opening and the bypass opening of the valve body.

Dated June 26, 1973 Patent No. 3,741, 182

Kenneth C. Wade and D. L. Adcock Inventor(s) It s certified that errorappears in the above-identified p a tent and that said Letters Patentare herebyficorrected as shown below:

Column 7, line 16, "of of" should be -of---.

Columnl4, line 43,- "portion interposing" should Zoe -position interposing-.

Signed and sealed this 18th day of December 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

RENE D TEGTMEYER Acting Commissioner of Patents EDWARD M. FLETCHERAttesting Officer"

1. A control valve interposed in a fuel system comprising: engine means;fuel pump means fluidically communicating with the engine means andsupplying fuel thereto; fuel reservoir means fluidically communicatingwith the fuel pump means, the fuel pump means pumping fuel from the fuelreservoir means to the engine means; and control valve means interposedbetween the fuel pump means and the engine means, the control valvemeans comprising: housing means, having a housing bore formed therein,the housing bore in fluidic communication with the fuel pump means toreceive fuel from the fuel pump means, a fuel passageway formed in aportion of the housing means intersecting the housing bore andfluidically communicating with the engine means, a bypass fuelpassageway formed in a portion of the housing means intersecting thehousing bore and fluidically communicating with the fuel reservoirmeans, a vent passageway formed in a portion of the housing meansintersecting the housing bore and fluidically communicating with thefuel reservoir means; a valve body disposed in a portion of the housingbore, having a valve chamber formed therein, an inlet opening formedthrough a portion thereof providing communication between the housingbore and the valve chamber, an outlet opening formed through a portionthereof providing communication between the fuel passageway in thehousing means and the valve chamber, a bypass opening formed through aportion of the valve body providing communication between the bypassfuel passageway in the housing means and the valve chamber, a ventopening formed through a portion of the valve body providingcommunication between a portion of the valve chamber and the ventpassageway to vent fuel therethrough; a valve member slidingly disposedin the valve body having a valve passageway formed through a portionthereof providing fluidic communication between the inlet opening andthe outlet opening of the valve body and a portion of the valve memberinterposed generally between the inlet opening and the bypass opening inone position of the valve member, the valve member slidable to one otherportion interposing a portion of the valve member generally between theinlet opening and the outlet opening of the valve body and providingfluidic communication between the inlet opening and the bypass openingvia the valve chamber, the fuel vented via the vent opening incommunication with a portion of the valve chamber and the ventpassageway preventing the valve member from becoming hydraulicallylocked; and bias means engaging a portion of the valve member andbiasing the valve member to the one position in the valve body providingfluidic communication between the inlet opening and the outlet openingof the valve body, the fuel at a predetermined pressure level biasingthe valve member against the biasing force of the bias means to the oneother position in the valve body providing fluidic communication betweenthe inlet opening and the bypass opening of the valve body.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the valve body is defined further toinclude, a portion engaging a portion of the housing means to positionthe valve body in an assembled position in a portion of the housingbore.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 defined further to include: seal meansdisposed between the housing means and the valve body to provide a fluidtight seal therebetween.
 4. A control valve interposed in a fuel systemcomprising: engine means; fuel pump means fluidically communicating withthe engine means and supplying fuel thereto; fuel reservoir meansfluidically communicating with the fuel pump means, the fuel pump meanspumping fuel from the fuel reservoir means to the engine means; andcontrol valve means interposed between the fuel pump means and theengine means, the control valve means comprising: a valve body, having avalve chamber formed therein, an inlet opening formed through a portionthereof intersecting a portion of the valve chamber, an outlet openingformed through a portion thereof intersecting a portion of the valvechamber, a bypass opening formed through a portion thereof intersectinga portion of the valve chamber, and the inlet opening fluidicallycommunicating with the fuel pump means, the outlet opening fluidicallycommunicating with the engine means and the bypass opening fluidicallycommunicating with the fuel reservoir means; a valve member slidinglydisposed in the valve chamber, a valve passageway formed through aportion of the valve member providing fluidic communication between theinlet opening and the outlet opening of the valve body and a portion ofthe valve member interposed generally between the inlet opening and thebypass opening of the valve body in one position of the valve member,the valve member slidable to one other position interposing a portion ofthe valve member generally between the inlet opening and the outletopening of the valve body and providing fluidic communication betweenthe inlet opening and the bypass opening via the valve chamber, thevalve member providing fluidic communication between not more than anytwo of the inlet opening, the outlet opening and the bypass opening viathe valve chamber in any one position of the valve member during theoperation thereof; and bias means engaging a portion of the valve memberand biasing the valve member to the one position in the valve bodyproviding fluidic communication between the inlet opening and the outletopening of the valve body, the fuel at a predetermined pressure levelbiasing the valve member against the biasing force of the bias means tothe one other position in the valve body providing fluidic communicationbetween the bypass opening and the inlet opening of the valve body. 5.The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the valve member is further defined asbeing elongated and having an upper and a lower end, the lower endengaging a portion of the valve body to position the valve member in theone position in the valve body providing fluidic communication betweenthe inlet opening and the outlet opening of the valve body.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 5 wherein the valve body includes, an upper end and alower end, a spring chamber formed on the upper end of the valve body,the bias means being disposed in the spring chamber; and wherein thebias means has a portion thereof engaging the upper end of the valvemember, the bias means cooperating with the valve member to buffer thefuel passinG through the control valve to increase the efficiency of thefuel system.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the bias means isfurther defined as being disposed in a portion of the valve chamber, oneportion of the bias means engaging a portion of the valve body andanother portion of the bias means engaging the upper end of the valvemember, the bias means cooperating with the valve member to buffer thefuel passing through the control valve to increase the efficiency of thefuel system.
 8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein one end of the valvepassageway is aligned with the outlet opening of the valve body and theother end of the valve passageway is aligned with the inlet opening inthe valve body in the one position of the valve member in the valve bodyproviding fluidic communication between the inlet opening and the outletopening of the valve body.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein thebypass opening in the valve body is disposed in a horizontal planegenerally above the lower end of the valve member in the one position ofthe valve member in the valve body providing fluidic communicationbetween the inlet opening and the outlet opening of the valve body, theinlet opening being formed through a portion of the lower end of thevalve body; and wherein the valve member is further defined as having aportion thereof interposed generally between the outlet opening and thevalve chamber subsequent to the valve member being slidingly biased tothe one other position in the valve body providing fluidic communicationbetween the bypass opening and the inlet opening of the valve body. 10.The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the lower end of the valve member isdisposed in a horizontal plane generally above the bypass openingthrough the valve body in the one other position of the valve member inthe valve body providing fluidic communication between the bypassopening and the inlet opening of the valve body.
 11. The apparatus ofclaim 4 wherein the valve passageway includes, a radially extendingportion intersecting a portion of the outer periphery of the valvemember, the radially extending portion being aligned with the outletopening of the valve body in the one position of the valve member in thevalve body providing fluidic communication between the outlet openingand the inlet opening of the valve body.
 12. The apparatus of claim 4wherein the valve passageway includes, a plurality of radially extendingportions, each intersecting a portion of the outer periphery of thevalve member, and each radially extending portion communicating with theoutlet opening of the valve body in the one position of the valve memberin the valve body providing fluidic communication between the outletopening and the inlet opening of the valve body.
 13. The apparatus ofclaim 4 defined further to include: seal means interposed between thevalve member and the valve body to provide a fluid tight sealtherebetween.
 14. The apparatus of claim 4 defined further to include:means engaging the bias means to limitingly adjust the bias means,thereby adjusting the actuating fuel pressure of the control valvewithin a narrow range.
 15. A control valve interposed in a fuel systemcomprising: engine means; fuel pump means fluidically communicating withthe engine means and supplying fuel thereto; fuel reservoir meansfluidically communicating with the fuel pump means, the fuel pump meanspumping fuel from the fuel reservoir means to the engine means; andcontrol valve means interposed between the fuel pump means and theengine means, the control valve means comprising: housing means, havinga housing bore formed therein, the housing bore in fluidic communicationwith the fuel pump means to receive fuel from the fuel pump means, afuel passageway formed in a portion of the housing means intersectingthe housing bore and fluidically communicating with the engine means, abypass fuel passageway formed in a portion of the housing meansinTersecting the housing bore and fluidically communicating with thefuel reservoir means; a valve body disposed in a portion of the housingbore, having a valve chamber formed therein, an inlet opening formedthrough a portion thereof providing communication between the housingbore and the valve chamber, an outlet opening formed through a portionthereof providing communication between the fuel passageway in thehousing means and the valve chamber, a bypass opening formed through aportion of the valve body providing communication between the bypassfuel passageway in the housing means and the valve chamber; a valvemember slidingly disposed in the valve body having a valve passagewayformed through a portion thereof providing fluidic communication betweenthe inlet opening and the outlet opening of the valve body and a portionof the valve member interposed generally between the inlet opening andthe bypass opening in one position of the valve member, the valve memberslidable to one other position interposing a portion of the valve membergenerally between the inlet opening and the outlet opening of the valvebody and providing fluidic communication between the inlet opening andthe bypass opening via the valve chamber, the valve member providingfluidic communication between not more than any two of the inletopening, the outlet opening and the bypass opening via the valve chamberin any one position of the valve member during the operation thereof;and bias means engaging a portion of the valve member and biasing thevalve member to the one position in the valve body providing fluidiccommunication between the inlet opening and the outlet opening of thevalve body, the fuel at a predetermined pressure level biasing the valvemember against the biasing force of the bias means to the one otherposition in the valve body providing fluidic communication between theinlet opening and the bypass opening of the valve body.